"Na karmaṇām anārambhān naiṣkarmyaṁ puruṣo'śnute."
– Bhagavad Gita 3.4
("Not by abstaining from work does a man attain freedom from karma.")

Have you ever felt as though some events in life were destined—beyond your control—while others seemed to shift according to your thoughts and actions? This paradox is not a coincidence. It is the architecture of karma in motion.

Karma, often misunderstood as a system of reward and punishment, is actually far more intricate. It is a cosmic mechanism—an impersonal law of cause and effect—that governs the unfolding of experiences across lifetimes. Understanding karma is not merely philosophical; it is deeply practical. When understood and consciously navigated, karma becomes your roadmap—not your prison.

In this article, we will explore the three types of karma— Sanchita, Prarabdha, and Kriyamana—and how you can work with, purify, and ultimately transcend karma to attain Self-realization and liberation (moksha).

What Is Karma, Really?
The Sanskrit word “Karma” means “action,” but it also implies the consequences of actions. It operates on a subtle level, influencing not just what happens to us externally, but also our thoughts, tendencies, and even our perception of reality.

Karma can be likened to a karmic ledger, meticulously recording the intention, vibration, and consequence of every deed. It is not punitive, but balancing. Like gravity, it does not judge; it simply acts.

Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism all acknowledge karma as a fundamental spiritual law. But it is in the Vedantic tradition, especially Advaita Vedanta, that karma takes on a liberating dimension. According to Advaita, karma only binds when you identify with the ego—the limited sense of “I” that claims authorship over action. The Self, being beyond action and identification, is never touched by karma.

But until one realizes that pure Self, karma remains the governing principle of life, spread across three dimensions:

Sanchita Karma – The Cosmic ReservoirSanchita comes from the Sanskrit root “samchaya”, meaning accumulation. Sanchita Karma is the total reservoir of all karmas performed by the individual soul (Jiva) in countless past lives. It includes both good and bad deeds, virtuous and sinful tendencies, fulfilled and unfulfilled desires.

Think of Sanchita Karma as the entire karmic database stored in the subtle body ( sukshma sharira) of the soul. It is like a massive storage drive that holds the energetic imprint of every thought, word, and deed committed since the soul began its journey in time.

Sanchita and ReincarnationSanchita Karma is too vast to be exhausted in a single lifetime. Hence, only a portion of it is selected for each birth—this selected portion is called Prarabdha Karma, which we’ll explore next.

"As a seed is sown, so is the fruit reaped."
– Rig Veda

Sanchita determines your latent tendencies (vasanas)—why someone has a natural gift for music or an inexplicable fear of water. These impressions carry across lives until consciously resolved or transcended.

Can Sanchita Karma Be Burned?Yes. Sanchita Karma can be purified through intense spiritual practice:

• Jnana (Knowledge): Realization of the Self as the non-doer destroys the storehouse itself.
• Tapas (Austerity): Heat generated by penance can burn old karmas.
• Bhakti (Devotion): Surrendering all actions to the Divine invokes grace, which transcends karma.
• Mantra and Meditation: Practices like chanting “Om Namah Shivaya” or “Gayatri Mantra” neutralize karmic residues.

In the fire of Self-realization, all accumulated karma is burnt, like a roasted seed that cannot sprout.

Prarabdha Karma – The Arrow Already ReleasedPrarabdha Karma is the portion of Sanchita Karma already set in motion. It is the karma that has “ripened” and must be experienced in the present lifetime. The word “prarabdha” means “commenced” or “begun.”

Just as an arrow, once released, must hit its mark, Prarabdha Karma is irrevocable—it must be lived out. This includes:

• Birth circumstances (family, location, social conditions)
• Physical body (health, appearance, capabilities)
• Key life events (marriage, accidents, opportunities, losses)

Even enlightened beings like Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Ramana Maharshi, and Shirdi Sai Baba lived through Prarabdha Karma, despite being free from egoic identification.

How It Affects YouPrarabdha defines your script, but not your response. For example:

• You may be born into poverty (karma), but your response—bitterness or perseverance—is your free will.
• You may face betrayal (karma), but your reaction—revenge or forgiveness—defines your spiritual trajectory.

Thus, even within the confines of Prarabdha, liberation is possible. Your reaction to karma determines whether you repeat it or dissolve it.

Kriyamana Karma – The Karma You Create NowKriyamana Karma, also known as Agami Karma, is the karma you are creating in this moment—through every thought, intention, and action. It is the only karma fully within your control.

While Sanchita is past and Prarabdha is present-in-motion, Kriyamana is dynamic and shaping the future. It is like a painter actively applying brushstrokes on a canvas already partially drawn.

Each present choice seeds future experiences. These seeds may manifest:

• Later in this life
• In the next life
• Or get added to Sanchita for later expression

Power of KriyamanaThis is your spiritual leverage point. By acting in awareness, you can:

• Create dharmic karma aligned with truth
• Avoid new bondage by acting without attachment to results
• Neutralize past karma through conscious living

"Let not the fruit of action be thy motive, nor let thy attachment be to inaction."
– Bhagavad Gita 2.47

Thus, Kriyamana Karma is your key to freedom—a conscious tool to shape your evolution or entangle further in samsara.

How Karma Binds – The Illusion of the DoerWhat binds you is not karma itself, but your identification with being the doer ( kartritva abhimana). Karma arises from egoic action—the false belief that “I” am acting and therefore “I” deserve the fruits.

In reality, action arises from gunas (modes of nature) and past impressions ( vasanas). The Self is merely the witness.

“He who sees action in inaction and inaction in action is truly wise.”
– Bhagavad Gita 4.18

The secret lies in shifting from egoic doing to witnessing presence. The moment you act without attachment, karma becomes non-binding ( akarma).

Breaking Free – From Karma to Moksha a. Meditation (Dhyana)Silence slows the momentum of mental karma. By sitting as a still witness, you disengage from unconscious doing and activate conscious being.

b. Self-Inquiry (Atma Vichara)As taught by Ramana Maharshi, asking “Who am I?” dissolves the ego and leads you to the realization that you are not the doer. With this realization, karma falls off like dry skin.

c. Surrender (Ishwara Pranidhana)Offer all your actions to the Divine—success and failure alike. Surrender is not weakness; it is alignment with the Source. When “you” stop claiming credit, karma stops accumulating.

d. Mantra and BhaktiChanting divine names like “Om Namah Shivaya”, Hanuman Chalisa, or Gayatri Mantra purifies the subconscious and burns vasanas (latent desires). Bhakti replaces doership with devotion.

e. Right Action (Karma Yoga)Perform your duties with full presence, but without clinging to results. This is the essence of Karma Yoga—acting without bondage.

“He who sees all beings in the Self and the Self in all beings is free from all fear and attachment.”
– Isha Upanishad

The Ultimate Liberation – Beyond All KarmaTrue freedom comes not by endlessly managing karma, but by transcending the entire karmic cycle. This is the path of Self-realization—where the Self is realized as pure awareness, untouched by action or reaction.

When the ego dissolves, who is left to do karma? Who is left to receive the fruits?

“When the doer is not, karma is not.”

This is the Shiva state—Akarma. Action happens, but the actor is gone. Like the wind rustling leaves, there is movement but no mover.

This is Jivanmukti—liberation while alive. The sage still acts (karma happens), but does not accumulate (karma does not bind).

The Power Is Within YouUnderstanding the Three Types of Karma gives you a map of your spiritual destiny. You are not merely a victim of fate. You are a conscious participant, capable of creating, cleansing, and ultimately transcending karma.

• Sanchita is your past.
• Prarabdha is your present.
• Kriyamana is your freedom.

The path to liberation begins now—with awareness, devotion, and surrender. Do not wait for perfect karma. Karma will never be perfect. But you can become perfect through Self-awareness.

“When the Self is known, karma is no more. Only love remains.”